Introducing David

We introduced our hero of the day, David, the shortest kid in the room (our one four-year-old didn’t come today; too bad!)  It was his job to watch his father’s sheep (two girls in sheep headbands).  Some days that was easy, and David could sit playing his harp while watching them.  But sometimes it was quite dangerous, like when a ferocious, mangy-looking lion would try to drag off one of the sheep! 

David had killed at least one lion with his bare hands.  (Sharp rap on his arm from our enthusiastic David)

One day, David’s father sends him out to bring some provisions in a basket to his older brothers, serving in the army.  What does he see when he gets there?  He sees the Israelites, including King Saul in his crown, all lined up along one side of the room, and the Philistines lined up along the other.  In the middle was a huge man (standing on a stool) with an oversized sword, shield and spear.  

 

He was taunting Israel, saying: why should we all have to fight?  Just send one man against me, and whoever wins, we’ll say their whole army is the victor!  All the Israelites are afraid, including the King.  All, that is, except our hero David.  He goes to Saul and asks to be allowed to fight the Philistine.  Saul is skeptical, but for lack of an alternative, agrees; only he suggests that David wear some armor.

 

But the armor was too awkward for him, he wasn’t used to it, so he took it back off.  Instead, he took five smooth stones from a brook (five round marshmallows from a bowlful of blue paper scraps) and put them in a bag.  He went out to face Goliath, and Goliath laughed at him & roared insults at him.  But David pelted him with marshmallows until he “fell” off the stool and landed in a heap on the floor, whereupon David pulled the giant’s own sword from its sheath and cut off his head with it.

 

Everyone was thrilled and Saul invited David to come and live and serve with him at his palace.

The game was a flop again, two weeks in a row! :-(  We had cardboard “giants” set up for the kids to shoot down with peashooters.  I had checked the blog from three years ago & it had been almost too easy for everyone.  Plus, I’m thinking, at least they get to blow this time instead of suck through their straws!  But most of them kept dropping the peas right through the straws before they managed to get them to their mouths.  And then those that not only managed to blow but to hit the targets, didn’t knock them down…apparently I had made the little stands too sturdy!  So partway through we took the giants off their stands and just bent them in the center & stood them up that way.  Live and learn.

For our craft we glued spiral macaroni around the face of a lion to make a “permed” mane.

 

Bible study was rough again…got started late, a guest was eating her lunch during it, she & someone else left early…I hope someone learned something!  For me, I had been struck during preparation at how David’s stone-and-sling method was really the best for facing a Goliath.  Someone coming out against him with a “real soldier’s” sword, Goliath could have swatted like a fly.  But it’s harder to swat a little stone flying at you!  I tried to make the application that we don’t have to do things the way a “real minister” would do them in order to be able to serve God effectively.  Sometimes God wants us to do something precisely because we are ourselves and NOT the professional minister!  I don’t know if anyone got the point though.  I am afraid too many of our people are not yet to the point of even thinking about serving God, never mind how effectively. :-(